This is the horrific picture of a woman whose face blistered and swelled just days after using an anti-wrinkle cream.

Marlene Corrall’s reaction to the cream was so severe she had to be prescribed steroids - and it took her six months for her skin to fully recover.

Ms Corrall, from Barrow Upon Soar, Leicestershire, was horrified after she claims she had an extreme allergic reaction after using three L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Renew anti-aging products on her face.

Marlene Corrall, 66, claims she suffered a severe allergic reaction after using three L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Renew anti-ageing products on her face. She claims it took her six months to recover - with the help of steroids

The 66-year-old said: 'When I went into my local chemist I
spotted the L’Oreal Revitalift range and decided to give it a try, but it
was the biggest mistake I ever made, after the reaction I had.'

'Within two days of using the creams, my face started to swell and break out in painful red blisters which spread all over my face.

'I was really frightened, especially as I have always taken great pride in my skin.

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'I have been using anti-wrinkle creams since I was 35 and never had a problem. I have used a range of products on my skin and change brands every few months.'

Ms Corrallclaims she had to take steroids and was prescribed penicillin by her GP in an attempt to control the severe reaction her skin was having.

The 66-year-old said: 'Within two days of using the creams my face started to swell and break out in painful red blisters which spread all over my face.
I was really frightened, especially as I have always taken great pride in my skin'

She was forced to take two weeks off work as a senior carer because her skin was so painful and it took six months for her skin to properly recover from the effects of the creams.

She said: 'I have been left with
acute dermatitis and there is still a bit of puffiness under my
cheekbones. I try to look after myself so this has really knocked my
confidence.

'I never
had any problems with my skin. I am very healthy and look after myself
but now I have been left with skin problems as a result when all I
wanted to do was look my best.'

Ms Corrall saw a private doctor who she says established her reaction was due to a chemical in the L¿Oreal anti-wrinkle creams called methylisothiazolinone, which is used to increase the shelf life of cosmetics and household goods

Ms Corrall says she
paid £130 to see a private doctor who she says established her reaction
was due to a chemical in the L’Oreal anti-wrinkle creams called
methylisothiazolinone, which is used to increase the shelf life of
cosmetics and household goods.

She added: 'I cannot believe companies still use this chemical after what it did to my skin.

'It was terrifying to have my skin react so severely and it knocked my confidence. It took so long to clear up that I have decided that life is too short, and after that happened I had enough - you never know what’s around the corner so life is for enjoying.

'I am now very careful with products that I use to make sure the ingredients are only natural minerals.'

Methylisothiazolinone,
also known as MI, is used to increase the shelf life of cosmetics and
household products including moist tissue wipes, shower gels, deodorants
and cleansers.

Ms Corrall claims she had to take steroids and was prescribed penicillin by her GP in an attempt to control the severe reaction her skin was having. She was forced to take two weeks off work as a senior carer because her skin was so painful and it took six months for her skin to properly recover from the effects of the creams

It has recently been blamed for a massive rise in dangerous allergic reactions. Cosmetic giant Johnson & Johnson said last month that it is so concerned, it is taking the chemical out of its best-selling Piz Buin sun cream and other products.

Molton Brown is doing the same and big brands such as Nivea, L’Oreal, Clarins and Sanctuary are under pressure to take action as doctors say adverse reactions to the chemical have reached ‘epidemic proportions’.

Skin experts say manufacturers should urgently remove the chemical, a preservative called methylisothiazolinone (MI), from products that are left on the skin. It can cause rashes, lumps, blisters, itchy eyes and facial swelling.

Ms Corrall said: 'It was terrifying to have my skin react so severely and it knocked my confidence'

In one case, a woman’s head and face swelled up so much that doctors feared she would have trouble breathing without urgent treatment.

Graham Johnston, a consultant dermatologist at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, who treated Ms Corrall, said: 'We have been testing this type of chemical for years and it seems that companies have moved to using just one chemical, which is a preservative to increase shelf life and strengthening it.

'I’d like to see methylisothiazolinone banned or for the industry to go back to levels it was using a few years ago.

“People are needing nastier drugs to cure the reaction.One patient had to have an anti-cancer drug and another an anti-rejection drug.

'They then have to make sure they avoid any product which contain the chemical.'

A spokesperson from L’Oreal said: 'Consumer safety is always the highest priority for L’Oreal. The safety of all cosmetic products and their ingredients is governed by strict European laws.

'We’re sorry to hear Mrs Corrall was not happy with the response she received.We would be willing to cover costs of a dermatologist appointment for her so she can better understand her reaction.'

Dr Chris Flower, a chartered biologist and toxicologist and director-general of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association, said: 'Consumer safety is the number one priority for the cosmetics industry .

'We have been made aware that a number of people have reacted to the preservative methylisothiazolinone (MI) in cosmetic products.

'Industry experts are working with dermatologists to try to understand why this has occurred to a preservative that has been approved for this use and to identify the best course of action in a timely manner.'

WHAT IS METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE?

Methylisothiazolinone, also known as MI, is used to increase the shelf life of cosmetics and household products including moist tissue wipes, shower gels, deodorants and cleansers.

It has recently been blamed for a massive rise in dangerous allergic reactions. Cosmetic giant Johnson & Johnson said last month that it is so concerned, it is taking the chemical out of its best-selling Piz Buin sun cream and other products.

Molton Brown is doing the same and big brands such as Nivea, L’Oreal, Clarins and Sanctuary are under pressure to take action as doctors say adverse reactions to the chemical have reached ‘epidemic proportions’.

Skin experts say manufacturers should urgently remove the chemical, a preservative called methylisothiazolinone (MI), from products that are left on the skin. It can cause rashes, lumps, blisters, itchy eyes and facial swelling.

In one case, a woman’s head and face swelled up so much that doctors feared she would have trouble breathing without urgent treatment.

MI is a preservative designed to extend shelf life, and has no useful properties for users of the products.

Experts say the scale of the allergic reactions to the chemical, which has been used increasingly since 2005, is alarming. Dermatologists expect an allergic reaction to a cosmetic product of 1 or 2 per cent, but clinics say the rate for MI has been more than 10 per cent.